Handle and blade connection



l. S. SURBAUGH.

HANDLE AND BLA DE CONNECTION. APPLICATION FI'LED DEC.13, 1919.

Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1..

INVENTOR.

lVI TNESS:

ATTORNEY.

J. S. SURBAUGH.

HANDLE AND BLADE CONNECTION.

APPLICATION FILED 050.13. 1919.

Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. INVENTOR. oZnJunZJmy/I ATQTIORNEY WITNESS:

NORRIS PETERSJNQ, Limo WASHINGYON D C.

PATENT ()FFICE.

JOHN S. SURBAUGH, OF VINCENNES, INDIANA.

HANDLE AND BLADE CONNECTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedApr. 12, 1921.

Application filed December 13, 1919. Serial N 0. 344,684.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. SURBAUGH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Vincennes, in the county of Knox and State of Indiana, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Handle and BladeConnections; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to handle and blade connections for use inshovels, scoops, spades and other tools, this invention being animprovement over the shovels, scoops, etc, disclosed in my previousPatents Nos. 1,247,032, and 1,312,766, granted Nov. 20, 1917, and Aug.12, 1919, respectively.

This invention has for its object to improve and simplify the connectionof the handle and blade or head of the tool, permitting either the bladeor handle to be removed and replaced when worn out or damaged, therebyproviding for economy in that either part of the tool can be replacedwithout discarding the remaining sound part.

A further object is to provide thoroughly eflicient and convenient meansfor securing the handle member within the roll of the blade in a rigidand substantial manner, to withstand prying, tortional, leverage andother strains to which the connection is subjected in use, and theconnection being, at the same'time, extremely simple and inexpensive.

A further object is the provision of such a connection utilizing asingle securing bolt 7 or member for retaining the handle member withinthe roll and clamping said parts tightly together by the simpleoperation of tightening said bolt.

A still further object is the provision of novel means for reinforcingthe roll.

Another object is the provision of. novel means for reinforcing thehandle member where it is fitted within the roll, to assist the handlemember in withstanding the strains.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be apparent asthe description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, it beingunderstood that changes can be made within the scope of what is claimedwithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

lar blade, and as shown, the blade 1 is of the hollow back type, such asused in shovels and scoops, said blade being provided with an upstruckroll 2 extending forwardly from its rear end and the roll, as

shown, has a fork 8, the branches of which stiffen and reinforce thebody of the blade to make it thoroughly rigid with the roll' and back. Atubularhandle member 4 is fitted within the roll 2, being preferably ofsheet metal having its longitudinal edges meeting at the bottom, andsaid tubular member 4 may be extended to constitute the shank, or a'wooden shank or core 5 can be fitted within said tubular member 4 asillustrated, it being apparent to those skilled in the art, that thehandle may be composed of a shank 5 fitted within the tubular member 4,or may be composed of a tubular metal member, sim'ilarto the member 4,or may be simply a. wooden shank as at 5, without using the tubularmember 4. The construction illustrated, however, is preferable forseveral reasons, in that the wooden and surrounding metal membersreinforce and stiffen one another to Withstand the strains.

The tubular member 4 is of a shape to fit snugly under the roll 2against the sides and crown thereof, and is of a length to projectrearwardiy from under said roll. Transverse rlvets 6 and 7 or othersimilar securing elements extend through the member 4 and shank5 forsecuring them together, the rivet 6 being located near the lower orouter end of the tubular member, and the rivet 7 at the rear end of theroll 2. The ends of the rivet 7 extend from the tubular member 4 to abutagainst the rear edge of the roll, as seen in Fig. 1, whereby totransmit the forward or downward longitudinal strains and pressure fromthe handle member to the rear end of the blade in an effective manner.

The roll 2 is reinforced to stiffen and strengthen same, by means of aliner plate 8 arched transversely to fit snugly within the roll, andsecured thereto by rivets or other means, this reinforcing plate 8strengthening the roll and having the handle member fitted therein. Thisreinforcing plate 8 could be used on the outside of the roll, but ispreferably used underneath the roll so as not to obstruct the uppersurface of the blade, the function of said plate being to increase thethickness of the roll.

In order to secure the handle member within the roll, the opposite sidesof the roll,.which are inclined so as to converge upwardly, are providedwith vertical or transverse locks 9, and the tubular memb r 4 and shank5 of the handle have a. transverse opening 10 therethrough to registerwith the slots 9 for the insertion of a transverse bolt 11 through saidslots and opening, said bolt fitting snugly within the opening 10 of thehandle member. The bolt 11 has a suitable head 12 at one end, and a nutslot 9 for preventing the bolt from turning when the nut is loosened ortightened. Washers 14 are fitted on the bolt 11, or other equivalentclamping member, and are disposed between the opposite side walls of theroll and the head and nut of thebolt, said washers being of wedge shapeso that their opposite faces are disposed at right angles to the axis ofthe bolt 11 to bear against the head and nut, while adjacent faces areinclined to bear against the inclined sides of the roll, as seen in Fig.3. Consequently, when the bolt is inserted through the roll and handlemember, it looks the handle member within the roll, and when the nut 13is tightened, the washere 1 1 will be brought under pressure against thesides of the roll, being forced toward one another. Due to'the inclinedside walls of the roll and wedge shape or inclined surfaces of thewashers, the pressure of the washers against the roll will have atendency to shift the bolt 11 laterally toward the crown of the roll,thereby moving the handle member with it and bringing it withconsiderable pressure against the crown of the and substantialconnection to withstand the various strains. Should the connectionbecome loosened, the bolt can be readily tightened again to take up theloose play. The opening 10 of the handle member is preferably locatednear the bottom thereof, and can be located at the bottom orlowersurface of the handle member in the form of a notch, so that the handlemember passes over said bolt, and thebolt can be of a suitable crosssection to resist thepressure exerted against it tending to bow saidbolt away from the crown of the roll. The bolt 11 can be readily removedfor detaching the blade and handle, whereby either one can be replacedby a new one when worn out or damaged. v I

In order to reinforce and strengthen the handle where it is secured inthe roll, an elongated reinforcing plate 17 is fitted within alongitudinal. vertical slot 16 cut in the shank 5 and extending from itsforward or lower end to a point adjacent to or beyond the rear end ofthe roll 2. The upper edge of the plate 17 bears against the tubularmember 41-, and the rivets 6 and 7 extend through said plate 17 tosecure it in place. The opening 10 also extends through the plate 17 sothat the bolt '11 isfitted within the plate 17, and in this way, the

plate 17 will take up the strains and strengthen the handle memberconsiderably.

In Fig. ha modified form of blade 1 is shown, wherein the roll 2 isplain, and the blade has longitudinal u'pstruclr ribs or braces u atopposite sides of the roll, assisting the roll in strengthening theblade between the bottom or body and the back. The handle connection canthus be used with various forms of blades, and with either plain orforked rolls. r

Fig. 5 shows how the head 12 of the bolt 10 canbe disposed obliquely toeliminate pjhp use of the washer at this end of the Having thusdescribed the invention, what is claimed as new is l. A tool including ablade having a roll with converging sides having slots, a handle memberfitted within the roll, and a se curing member extending through theslots in the sides of the roll having portions hearing against saidconverging sides of the roll to shift. the securing member toward thecrown of theroll for clamping the handle member against same.

2. A tool including a blade with converging sides having-slots, a handlemember fitted within said roll, and a bolt-extending through the slotsin the sides of the rollfor clamping the handle member against the crownof the roll, said bolt having portions thereon bearing slidably againstthe sides of the roll for shifting the bolt toward the crown of the rollwhen the bolt is tightened.

3. A tool including a blade having a roll with converging sides havingslots, ahandle member fitted within said roll, and a bolt extendingthrough said slots in the sides of having a roll 7 the roll for clampingthe handle member against the crown of the roll and wedgeshaped washerson the bolt to bear slidably against the sides of the roll for shiftingthe bolt toward the crown of the roll when the bolt is tightened.

4. A tool including a blade having a roll with converging sides providedwith transverse slots, a handle member fitted within the roll and havinga transverse opening to register with said slots and means extendingthrough said slots and opening and having portions to bear underpressure against and slide on the converging sides of the roll forshifting the handle member to clamp it against the crown of the roll.

5. A tool including a blade having a roll with converging sides providedwith transverse slots, a handle member fitted within the roll having atransverse opening to register with said slots, and a bolt extendingthrough said slots and opening, and having inclined portions bearingagainst the sides of the roll to shift the bolt for clamping the handlemember against the crown of the roll when the bolt is tightened.

6. A tool including a blade having a roll,

. a handle member fitted within the roll, and

means extending through the sides of the roll and arranged to hold thehandle member against the crown of the roll, said means and sides of theroll having cooperating portions operable for shifting said means towardthe crown of the roll to clamp the handle member against said crown.

7. A tool including a blade having a roll, a handle shank extending intosaid roll and having a longitudinal slot, a reinforcing plate in saidslot, means forsecuring said shank and plate within the roll, and asecuring member extending through the shank and plate and extendingtherefrom to bear against the end of the roll.

8. A tool including a blade having a roll, a tubular handle memberfitting within the roll, a shank fitted within said member, means forsecuring said member within the roll, and a securing member extendingthrough said handle member and shank and extending therefrom to bearagainst the rear end of the roll.

9. A tool including a blade having a roll, a handle having reinforcingmeans to be disposed within the roll, means engaging said reinforcingmeans for securing the handle within the roll, and securing means forfastening said reinforcing means to the bandle and also arranged to bearagainst the rear end of the roll to transmit pressure from the handle tothe blade.

10. A tool including a blade having a roll, an arched plate secured tothe roll to strengthen it, a handle member fitted within the roll, andsecuring means extending transversely through said roll and plate, forsecuring the handle member in place.

11. A tool including a blade having a roll, a handle shank extendinginto the roll and having a longitudinal slot, a reinforcing platesecured within said slot, and means extending through the sides of theroll and engaging said plate to apply pressure to said plate for holdingthe handle shank against the crown of the roll, said means and sides ofthe roll having coiiperable portions operable for raising said meanstoward the crown of the roll to raise said plate and clamp the handleshank up under said crown.

12. A tool including a blade having a roll, a tubular handle memberfitted within said roll, a shank or core extending within said memberand having a longitudinal slot, a reinforcing plate fitted in said slot,means securing the handle member, shank and plate together, and securingmeans extending through the sides of the roll and engaging said plate toapply pressure to the plate for holding the handle member against thecrown of the roll, said last named means and sides of the roll havingcooperable portions operable for raising said means toward said crown toraise said plate and clamp the handle member against said crown.

13. A tool including a blade having a roll with converging sidesprovided with transverse slots, a tubular handle member fitted withinthe roll, a shank fitted within said handle member and having alongitudinal slot, a reinforcing plate fitted within said slot andwithin said handle member, securing means fastening said handle member,shank and plate together and extended to bear against the rear end ofthe roll, said handle member, shank and plate having an opening toregister with said slots, and a bolt to extend through said slots andopening and having inclined portions to bear against the sides of theroll for shifting the bolt toward the crown of the roll to clamp thehandle member against said crown when the bolt is tightened.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand.

JOHN S. SURBAUGH.

